Fresh revelations and statements from top Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) alliance partner Enoch Chihana have sparked serious questions about the party’s true plan for leadership if it wins the upcoming September 16 elections.
At a rally held at Njamba Freedom Park in Blantyre on Sunday, Chihana, President of the Alliance for Democracy (Aford), made a stunning revelation that soon after the elections Dr. Jane Ansah, the running mate on the DPP ticket will be the President of the country.
Speaking right in front of Mutharika, the DPP presidential candidate, Chihana boldly said: “After September 16, this iron lady Dr. Jane Ansah will be the next President of Malawi.”
Follow this link to listen to Chihana speaking at the rally.
While some may have brushed off the comment as a slip of the tongue, others now believe it was a calculated revelation of a hidden truth that the DPP is using Mutharika’s name and face to win votes, while planning to hand power to someone else immediately after the polls.
This is not the first time such shocking hints have come from within the DPP camp. Norman Chisale, a powerful figure in the DPP and former bodyguard to Mutharika, is also on record to have told a rally in Ntcheu: “Don’t look at APM as the one who will help you after September 16. Look at me.”
Chisale’s statement seemed strange at the time, but when put together with Chihana’s remarks, a pattern starts to emerge. The message is clear. The DPP knows APM is too old and unwell to lead Malawi for another five years. Yet, instead of being honest with Malawians, the party is using Mutharika’s image to attract nostalgic votes, especially in the Southern Region.
The drama at Njamba didn’t end with speeches.
The biggest shock of the day came when Mutharika failed to step out of his vehicle to join other leaders on the podium. Instead, he addressed the crowd from an open-roof car. It was a moment that spoke louder than words. The man who wants to lead Malawi couldn’t even walk 10 steps to the stage.
Earlier that same day, Mutharika also missed the DPP’s official campaign manifesto launch at Sunbird Mount Soche. He left it to Jane Ansah to preside over the event on his behalf. Yet this is the man the DPP is fronting as their leader?
If insiders in the DPP and its alliance partners are already referring to Jane Ansah as the next President, and if Chisale is already marketing himself as the people’s savior, then it is fair to ask: What exactly are Malawians voting for on September 16?
Are they voting for Arthur Peter Mutharika, an old and visibly tired man, or are they voting for a hidden DPP agenda that will make Jane Ansah or someone else President the very next day?
This appears to be a deliberate strategy to trick Malawians. Mutharika still carries weight in certain regions and among older voters. His image might help the DPP win votes. But behind the scenes, the real power players may already be planning to push him aside and take over.
Malawians went to court in 2019 to defend the Constitution and demand free, fair, and transparent elections. That struggle was not just about ballots, it was about truth, leadership, and accountability.
The idea that a group of people can knowingly parade an ailing man as a candidate, only to swap him out the day after the elections, is an insult to the democratic process.
If APM is not fit to govern, then the DPP must be honest and say so. If Jane Ansah or Norman Chisale are the real candidates, then let them face the voters directly. Anything less is a political fraud.
Enoch Chihana’s accidental truth-telling may go down in history as the moment when the DPP’s secret plans were exposed. As the campaign period intensifies, one question must be asked by every voter:
Are we voting for APM, or are we being fooled into voting for someone else we didn’t choose?
Malawi deserves clarity. Malawi deserves honesty. And above all, Malawi deserves leaders who respect the people, not just use them.
